Buildertrend is a construction management system for home builders, remodelers, specialty contractors and general contractors. It combines project scheduling, project management, financial management, customer management and service...
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Buildertrend is a construction management system for home builders, remodelers, specialty contractors and general contractors. It combines project scheduling, project management, financial management, customer management and service...
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CoConstruct is a project, financial, and client management system for custom home builders and remodelers. It is the only single-entry estimating system that allows each user to enter a piece of information once, and have that data...
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CoConstruct is a project, financial, and client management system for custom home builders and remodelers. It is the only single-entry estimating system that allows each user to enter a piece of information once, and have that data...
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Procore is a cloud-based construction management software application that helps firms increase their project efficiency and accountability by providing streamlined project communication and documentation. Users are able to manage...
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Procore is a cloud-based construction management software application that helps firms increase their project efficiency and accountability by providing streamlined project communication and documentation. Users are able to manage...
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RedTeam is a commercial construction project management solution suited for midsize commercial construction companies. It is a cloud application developed by contractors to manage pre-construction, construction, as well as project...
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RedTeam is a commercial construction project management solution suited for midsize commercial construction companies. It is a cloud application developed by contractors to manage pre-construction, construction, as well as project...
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PASKR is a cloud-based project and bidding management software designed for contractors and subcontractors in the construction industry. The solution streamlines activities right from bidding to closeout, allowing businesses to spend...
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PASKR is a cloud-based project and bidding management software designed for contractors and subcontractors in the construction industry. The solution streamlines activities right from bidding to closeout, allowing businesses to spend...
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PlanGrid is construction management solution built for general contractors, specialty contractors, design teams and owners. PlanGrid provides project teams with access to all project drawings and all related documents including specifications,...
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PlanGrid is construction management solution built for general contractors, specialty contractors, design teams and owners. PlanGrid provides project teams with access to all project drawings and all related documents including specifications,...
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eSUB is a mobile application and cloud-based project management solution that helps commercial subcontractors across various trades to manage day-to-day operations. eSUB offers tools to connect field workers with office managers and...
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eSUB is a mobile application and cloud-based project management solution that helps commercial subcontractors across various trades to manage day-to-day operations. eSUB offers tools to connect field workers with office managers and...
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CMiC offers a fully integrated ERP system that caters to the needs to builders, design teams, and architects across the construction industry. The solution can be deployed locally on a server, or hosted in the cloud, and offers modules...
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CMiC offers a fully integrated ERP system that caters to the needs to builders, design teams, and architects across the construction industry. The solution can be deployed locally on a server, or hosted in the cloud, and offers modules...
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Sage Construction Project Center (CPC) is a cloud-based, mobile compatible project management solution that helps project team members collaborate. Owners, architects, engineers, subcontractors and other team members can use Sage Construction...
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Sage Construction Project Center (CPC) is a cloud-based, mobile compatible project management solution that helps project team members collaborate. Owners, architects, engineers, subcontractors and other team members can use Sage Construction...
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Roots is a cloud-based construction management solution designed for general contractors, government contractors and subcontractors of all sizes. It helps in estimating and work procurement, project management, accounting, progress...
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Roots is a cloud-based construction management solution designed for general contractors, government contractors and subcontractors of all sizes. It helps in estimating and work procurement, project management, accounting, progress...
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As the name might suggest, PMWeb is a web-based solution geared toward construction project management. The software is built on the Microsoft .NET technology and can be accessed via a web client anywhere with Internet access. This...
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As the name might suggest, PMWeb is a web-based solution geared toward construction project management. The software is built on the Microsoft .NET technology and can be accessed via a web client anywhere with Internet access. This...
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Smartsheet is a project management application with a spreadsheet-like interface to help teams collaborate, plan projects and manage tasks. The software offers a suite of project management applications, such as document management,...
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Smartsheet is a project management application with a spreadsheet-like interface to help teams collaborate, plan projects and manage tasks. The software offers a suite of project management applications, such as document management,...
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JobNimbus is a cloud-based integrated CRM and project management solution suitable for small and midsize businesses. The solution allows companies to manage their contacts, tasks and projects along with detailed reporting capabilities.
With...
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JobNimbus is a cloud-based integrated CRM and project management solution suitable for small and midsize businesses. The solution allows companies to manage their contacts, tasks and projects along with detailed reporting capabilities.
With...
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Traqspera is a cloud-based construction management solution. Key features include training and certification management, asset management, safety management and time and billing.
Traqspera provides a searchable employee management...
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Traqspera is a cloud-based construction management solution. Key features include training and certification management, asset management, safety management and time and billing.
Traqspera provides a searchable employee management...
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HCSS HeavyJob is an on-premise construction project management solution complete with contract management and document control functionality, along with integration capabilities with many different accounting systems.

HCSS HeavyJob is an on-premise construction project management solution complete with contract management and document control functionality, along with integration capabilities with many different accounting systems.

Prolog by Trimble is a hybrid construction project management solution that provides construction firms of all sizes functionalities for office and field management, collaboration, cost control and purchasing. The solution can be deployed...
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Prolog by Trimble is a hybrid construction project management solution that provides construction firms of all sizes functionalities for office and field management, collaboration, cost control and purchasing. The solution can be deployed...
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BuilderEdge is cloud-based construction management software (CMS) solution that offers estimating, project management, bid management, and more within an integrated suite. The solution caters to remodelers, home builders, and managers...
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BuilderEdge is cloud-based construction management software (CMS) solution that offers estimating, project management, bid management, and more within an integrated suite. The solution caters to remodelers, home builders, and managers...
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e-Builder is a cloud-based construction program management solution for capital projects that provides performance data across the project lifecycle. Facility owners can track business processes with centralized project information,...
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e-Builder is a cloud-based construction program management solution for capital projects that provides performance data across the project lifecycle. Facility owners can track business processes with centralized project information,...
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336 additional Construction Project Management Software products were named Runners Up for January 2018

What Is the FrontRunners Quadrant?

A Graphic of the Top-Performing Construction Project Management Software Products

FrontRunners quadrants highlight the top software products for North American small businesses. All products in the quadrant are top performers. Small businesses can use FrontRunners to make more informed decisions about what software is right for them.

To create this quadrant, we evaluated over 350 Construction Project Management (PM) products. Those with the top scores for their capability and value made the quadrant.

Scores are based largely on reviews from real software users, along with other product performance details (e.g., what features they offer, how many customers they have).

Is One Quadrant Better Than the Others?

Nope, Products in Any Quadrant May Fit Your Needs

Every product in this quadrant offers a balance of capability (how much the products can do) and value (whether they’re worth their price/cost) that makes them stand out in the race for small business software success.

FrontRunners has four sub-quadrants:

Upper Right = Leaders: Leaders are all-around strong products. They offer a wide range of functionality to a wide range of customers. These products are considered highly valuable by customers.

Upper Left = Masters: Masters may focus more heavily on certain key features or market segments than Leaders do. If you need a more specialized set of functionality without bells and whistles, then a product in the Masters quadrant might be right for you.

Lower Right = Pacesetters: Pacesetters may offer a strong set of features, but are not rated as highly on value. For example, a Pacesetter might offer greater functionality, but cost more.

Lower Left = Contenders: Contenders may focus on a more specialized set of capabilities that are priced at a higher point. This makes them ideal for companies willing to pay more for specific features that meet their unique needs.

Depending on the specific needs of a software buyer, a product in any of these sub-quadrants could be a good fit.

Why? To even be considered for this FrontRunners, a product had to meet a minimum user rating score of 4.0 for capability and 4.0 for value. This means that all products that qualify as FrontRunners are top-performing products in their market. They appear in the quadrant in relation to how their peers performed.

For some buyers, a specific FrontRunners sub-quadrant might be best. This is because products in the Pacesetters and Leaders sub-quadrants may offer more functionality than products in the Contenders or Masters quadrants.

This means that, while all of the products on the quadrant meet our minimum market criteria (in this case: project scheduling, project tracking, document management/control and job costing, as well as at least two of the following: change orders, punch lists, purchase orders, RFI and submittals and/or transmittals), products in the Pacesetters and Leaders sub-quadrants may be more likely to also offer additional functionality (or integrations with these applications), such as bid management, customer relationship management and accounting.

Conversely, products in the Contenders and Masters sub-quadrants may be more likely to focus more exclusively on the core Construction Project Management functionality.

How Are FrontRunners Products Selected?

Products Are Scored Based on User Reviews and Other Data

To be considered at all, products must have at least 10 reviews and meet minimum user rating scores. They also have to offer a core set of functionality—for example, to place on the construction PM FRQ a product has to offer at least three of the following: bid management, project scheduling, document control, job costing and change orders.

From there, user reviews and other product performance details, such as the product's customer base and the features it offers, dictate the Capability and Value scores. Capability is plotted on the x-axis, and Value is plotted on the y-axis.

One Last Thing—How Do I Reference FrontRunners?

Just Follow Our External Usage Guidelines

Check out the FrontRunners External Usage Guidelines when referencing FrontRunners content. Except in digital media with character limitations, the following disclaimer MUST appear with any/all FrontRunners reference(s) and graphic use:

FrontRunners scores and graphics are derived from individual end-user reviews based on their own experiences, vendor-supplied information and publicly available product information; they do not represent the views of Gartner or its affiliates.

Runners Up

Providers listed as Runners Up were considered for inclusion in the quadrant, but were
ultimately not included for one or more reasons: they did not have enough reviews; they did
not meet the reviews score minimum; they did not meet the ultimate Value and Capability minimum
scores; or they did not meet our functionality requirements for the market.

Buyer's Guide

Most construction managers know the names Primavera and Prolog, but there are more than 100 additional project management programs on the market. There are systems for general contractors, subcontractors, building owners and construction managers. Some are sophisticated enterprise-class systems, while others are simple solutions for the solo construction manager. We’ve put this comparison guide together to help make sense of this fragmented market.

Functionality Included in Project Management Applications

“The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Sure, but with the right systems in place, construction managers can deliver more projects on-time and on-budget. And that’s exactly what construction project management software is designed to do, among other things.

The core of a top project management system is its document control module for change orders, submittals, transmittals and requests for information (RFIs). To make collaborating easier, many vendors offer Cloud construction document management software to allow managers and other team members to access mission critical documents anywhere with an Internet connection.

Other core modules include budgeting, cost control, critical path method (CPM) scheduling and punch list management. More advanced systems will include modules for bid solicitation, procurement, online plan rooms, Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) tracking and photo and sitecam management. The functionality map and table below it can help you understand the specifics of what these applications do.

Construction Software BuyerView | 2014

In 2013, Software Advice spoke to thousands of buyers evaluating new construction software. We recently analyzed our interactions to learn what criteria buyers use to make purchasing decisions.

Common Features of Construction Project Management Software

Tracks all change orders submitted across projects and updates the budget to reflect the most recent costs.

RFI & submittals

Tracks time and date of RFIs and submittals and whether a response has been sent/received.

Document control

Archives all project documents to facilitate collaboration and keep everyone updated on the most recent plans.

Project scheduling

Assists with planning tasks (and when they need to be completed) in order to keep a project running smoothly.

Equipment & resources

Helps allocate how a firm’s equipment and other resources (e.g., labor) are used across projects.

Bid proposals

Helps solicit and track bids from subcontractors to find the right team for your projects.

Transmittals

Stores a record of communications sent or received between all parties involved for future reference.

Purchase orders

Logs all items purchased over the course of working on a project to track and manage expenses.

Job costing & budgeting

Monitors current costs against the budget to track the cost to completion.

When evaluating systems, it’s important to dig into the features each program offers. For instance, you’ll likely want to assess the project dashboard of each package you look at to make sure that the key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics important to managing your projects are front and center. Of course, you’ll also want to know how customizable this dashboard is so you can adapt it to your unique business needs.

Project management dashboard from Procore

Once you decide which features you need, you have a choice between buying best-of-breed (i.e., standalone) systems or implementing applications available within a full-suite construction software offering. Best-of-breed systems generally offer more sophisticated functionality and allow managers to implement the system faster without depending on other departments, like accounting. Meanwhile, full-suite programs offer tighter integration between the project management application and the valuable financial data stored in accounting and job costing application. You can also choose between proprietary, open-source or free construction project management software based on your technology needs.

Of course, it's also important to select a trade-specific system to fit the firm's needs. For instance, an architectural firm should evaluate architectural project management software and engineering firms should evaluate software developed specifically for engineering firms. Finally, buyers can choose between software as a service (SaaS), or “Web-based,” systems and on-premise systems.

What Type of Buyer Are You?

Before you dive into the details of a particular vendor offering—and start reading project management software reviews—you will want to identify yourself as one of the buyer types we’ve detailed below. Most buyers fall into one of these groups:

General contractors. These buyers are looking for robust functionality that will help them track costs, manage documents and in many cases, schedule the project. Project managers at these GCs will seek best-of-breed solutions, while C-level executives may push for integrated construction management and accounting suites. Example vendors: Maxwell ProContractorMX CPM, Paskr, Primavera, Procore, Prolog, Sage.

Building owners. These buyers manage a portfolio of capital projects, and keep tabs on the timing and costs of all projects in in aggregate. They seek best-of-breed program and portfolio management systems that enforce accountability for all parties, while encouraging collaboration over the Web. Example vendors: Aconex, eadoc, e-Builder, Expesite, Paskr, PMWeb, Primavera, Procore, Prolog, Sage.

Independent construction managers.Construction managers require advanced construction project software functionality that includes budgeting, costing and document control. However, smaller managers may not have the resources to deploy enterprise class CPM systems. These buyers will do well with SaaS systems or independent desktop licenses. Example vendors: Paskr, PMWeb, Primavera, Procore, Prolog.

Sub contractors. These buyers approach managing projects from the standpoint of maximizing their crew’s performance, while minimizing liability. This requires subcontractor project management software with scheduling functionality to make sure the right crew is on the right job at the right time. Document control is critical to create a “paper trail” on change orders, transmittals, RFIs and other documents. Example vendors: ConstructJob, eSub, JobTrac, Primavera, Procore, Project DocControl.

Benefits and Potential Issues

Project management software is almost an imperative for mid- to large-size builds as it’s difficult to grapple with the sheer volume of information that accompanies these projects. Of course, most firms stand to benefit from investing in software to automate some of their processes.

Firms that implement and make use of these systems stand to realize the following benefits.

Improved accountability. The document control capabilities within a system create a virtual paper trail for plans, change orders, submittals and transmittals. This minimizes the finger pointing often plagues troubled projects. As a result, it helps minimize liability and can change the behavior of participants to keep projects moving efficiently.

Financial visibility. With a budgeting and cost control module is in place, the manager will have far greater insight into actual costs relative to estimates, as well as the likely cost to complete the project. If the system is integrated to accounting and job costing systems, the data will be even more accurate and offer valuable financial insights.

Improved collaboration. The Web-based nature of modern systems are allowing team members to work together more closely. Specifically, parties can review and mark up plans, submit RFIs and receive responses—all over the Web in a single, secure repository.

The primary challenges that arise from deploying these solutions center around adoption and data entry/integration. The value of a system tends to increase as more users are added. Each new user improves the level of collaboration, and reinforces accountability. As a result, it is critical that a broad set of users—inside and outside the company—adopt the system.

Too often individuals shun new systems and stick to historical manual methods, like Excel spreadsheets or legacy desktop applications. Ensuring adoption starts with involving a broad set of users in the selection process. Too often individual managers evaluate systems without executive and peer buy-in and this will limit the successful adoption of these systems from the onset.

But as the IT industry adage goes, “garbage in, garbage out.” The technology will only produce results that are as good as the quality of the data that is entered into the system. This is particularly true when it comes to financial data. Sophisticated buyers will seek to integrate their project management and job costing systems.

Market Trends to Understand

These market trends should be considered as you select a software product and vendor.

Software as a Service (SaaS). SaaS, or cloud-based software, is prevalent in this market. There is a substantial need for improved collaboration between participants, and Web-based construction tools make that possible. That, and the cost and ease-of-implementation benefits of SaaS have made Web-based systems very popular. Most systems are now SaaS or Web-enabled and we recommend that buyers seriously evaluate these systems.

Mobile applications. The nature of construction requires that managers spend time in the field, and those managers want to stay connected to their software applications. As a result, there is huge demand for construction apps. The booming popularity of smartphones and iPads is accelerating this trend. Pay close attention to the mobile apps available, and platforms supported, for each vendor.

LEED credit tracking. LEED certification is increasingly popular, but requires diligent LEED tracking during construction. More and more systems are offering LEED tracking applications. These automate detailed tracking of points required to achieve certification. Firms that will be building to LEED standards should carefully evaluate the LEED tracking capabilities of the software products they consider.

Improved offerings from full-suite vendors. Traditionally there has been a trade-off between the deep feature set available from best-of-breed vendors and the seamless integration that results from implementing an integrated suite. In the last few years, a number of full-suite vendors have released stronger applications that can hold their own against best-of-breed solutions.

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